New CLE rules in effect for Ohio attorneys

Attorneys admitted to practice in Ohio are no longer required to file a final reporting transcript for CLE credit, according to a recent article by Court News Ohio. This is one of several changes to rules for CLE requirements passed by the Supreme Court of Ohio in November 2012 that became active this year. The first group of attorneys not required to file the final transcript are those whose names begin with M through Z, whose biennial compliance period ends on December 31, 2014. Other significant changes include that attorneys are no longer required to earn separate credits for ethics, professionalism and substance abuse sessions, but must complete 2.5 hours in the area of professional conduct, and that attorneys may now earn CLE credit for pro bono work. There are also changes for judges, magistrates and new lawyers.

The Office of Attorney Services of the Ohio Supreme Court has published comparison charts highlighting the differences between the old and new rules as well as FAQs and other useful information, which is available here. The full text of the rules as well as recent amendments can be found at Attorney Services website.